National Original Animation/National Film Studio (Japan)
Background: National Original Animation (ナショナルオリジナルアニメーション), or simply National OA, was founded by Kyushai Ezuko, former member at Nikkatsu-Banno since in 1932, he left the studio to create a new company, similar to National Japanese Cinema Industries. Mai Banno was also collaborating with him in it's earliest years of life. It has now been extinct since 1993. 1st Logo (1968-1975) Logo: On a black background, a white-green triangular pendant on the top and the abstract, neon-ish text "OA" in white in the bottom, appear zooming out with a green square in a massive amount of trails. The square then drains in it's thinnest part and then the "OA" flashes. The text "National" in blue, appears flashing upwards the "OA". Trivia: As many suggest, this logo was actually made with traditional animation, including the flashing, which was made with an old brush. Kyushai Ezuko solely produced this sequence properly due to it's professionalism, and it took exactly 32 minutes and 21 seconds to make this sequence. FX/SFX: The zooming-in of the logo, words flashing. Cheesy Factor: All of these which for today's standards are very cheap, especially for the abstract "OA". Music/Sounds: A choir of japanese singers saying "National, OA!!", composed by Mikko Hakubaya. Trivia: The "National" they sung is actually in Engrish, making it sound like "Nachonaru" Availability: Common, this was seen on color prints of some Toei animation series for television since 1968, and was always saved on the public domain for a while. If you want to check those tapes, check out too the Toei Home Video and Gekkeikan Entertainment logos, and it features this logo. It was also seen by original animation series by it, starting with Kaishou Gekkenbon. Scare Factor: Low to high, as the darkness of the logo as the cheap animation can bother some japanese people, especially for those who used to it. But it's the best logo for a numerous amount of people. 2nd Logo (1973-1979) Logo: We see many green square bits forming a line. Suddenly, we zoom out to that line to reveal many green lines, and then the camera pans diagonally to reveal the "A", and which whom it it's the text "OA", on green. Over the zooming out, the text National zooms in to the left side of the screen. And with that exact A, a blue-outlined sun with an white cardiogram appears rising over said letter. The whole logo then flashes for one second and then the logo stands still for three seconds. Trivia: This was Kyushai's second attempt in traditional animation, and it's much better than the 1st logo anyways. FX/SFX: The animation, the squares and the forming of the lines, the sun rising, the word zooming out. Cheesy Factor: As with the 1st logo, the animation is very cheap. Also this looks like an american cartoon logo more than a japanese, But let's give this some credit using them excellent animation than said logo. Music/Sounds: Same as before, but with a big band melody accompanying it. * A version from the 1st logo, which includes the singers only, has appeared thrice on Astro Boy. Availability: Common. Seen on Street Fighter films in color, and other animation shows like Kashikoipoid, Himitsu No Ame, Aa - My City, Reimai, Chikkara to Onna No Yo No Nakka (1976), Kenkyu Ishabashi and some releases of My Ordinary Life. Although it's seen in Astro Boy Thrice, the logo still stands as a common logo. Scare Factor: Medium, the fast animation may get to some especially for those who are about to expect the first logo to show up, but it's a great improvement compared to it's predecessor. 3rd Logo (1980-1993) Logo: We see on the top the text, which translates to "NATIONAL Film Studio", on white, with it's first characters being more bigger. Much down over it, we see the National logo in red, with an unknown company's byline over it, with an english text too over it and japanese text on the right of the byline. On the middle we see either * An animated picture of Mai Banno (formerly named Mai Minakami) on a turquoise-gray background (which is still), * A milk pouring on a vase on a house background, * A remote control being broken by a punch by on a red background with a table over it, * Or even an animated fight with anthropomorphic cookies, in an mountain background. FX/SFX: None, or even the animation included on one of the middle pictures. Cheesy Factor: The animation seems quite choppy and in the rest it should have been added good animation. It's either an work of an amateur person, or a rushed person trying to make a logo. Music/Sounds: A bass note (which is barely heard), following by people saying "National!". On the third variant, a punch is heard after that. Trivia: Again, the word they are saying is on Engrish. Availability: TBA. Scare Factor: None to medium, all depends on the variant, but it's a good logo and also a render to the lamest logo ever made, even if it's good or not. The animations may get some shiver, but otherwise it's harmless and very annoying, beacuse of plastering old logos. 4th Logo (1993-1999) Nicknames: "National Light", "Lights", "The Lights", "The Stars" Logo: On A Black Background, We See Some Star Goes From The Bottom And The Bright Light Occurs From The Bottom (a la United Artists Logo) Which Draws "FS" And After That The Word National (In The Panasonic-National Logo Font) Flashes In And After That The Light Bulb Pops Up And After That The Light Bulb Flashes In (a la Columbia Pictures Logo) And The Logo Changes to white. FX/SFX: The Lights, The Stars, And The Logo Flashing. Music/Sounds: A violin Sounder, Followed By a choir singing "National!!!" Availability: TBA Scare Factor: Low to Medium, The Flashing Could Catch You off-guard. 5th Logo (1999-2009) Nicknames: TBA Logo: TBA FX/SFX: TBA Music/Sounds: An Upbeat Disco Tune Followed By An Orchestral Sounder. Availability: TBA Scare Factor: TBA Category:Japan Category:Defunct Category:Vanity Cards